1. Field of the Invention
2. Prior Art
Miniaturization of electronic devices such as calculators, computers, telephones, amusement devices, and light electronic equipment has advanced rapidly over the past few years. Data entry devices have become miniaturized as well. The term "chicklet keys" has been used to identify very small tabs or keys utilized on some small devices for data entry into that device. While their keypads are somewhat "storable", the problem with that type of terminal is that the operator has a difficult time in hitting the proper key to efficiently do the job. The data entry operators hands/fingers are relatively large, and these keys lack the full stroke, size and tactile contact feedback of full sized keyboards that are preferred. Current laptop and palmtop devices suffer from the problem of short stroke and compacted dense key layout. Further difficulties arise when cursor movement is desired. Touch pad screens are data entry devices which have replaced the "mouse" or trackball. Accuracy, however, may be lacking with such data entry devices, inasmuch as the exact location of a particular cursor/data entry point may be difficult to discern. One patent which has tried to show an improvement in the cursor moving art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,278,557 to Stokes et al. This patent however, discloses only a single key which is dedicated exclusively to the movement of a cursor. This is similar to a joy stick "built-into" the keyboard. This does not facilitate cursor movement while an operator's hands are on the alpha/numeric keys themselves.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a data entry panel which will accommodate the needs of the electronic device, will accommodate the physical reality of the data entry operator, and will permit the data entry equipment to be functionally full sized, and functionally similar feel to conventional keyboards familiar to most keyboard operators, and to permit several of the actual regular alpha/numeric keys on the keyboard to both enter data to the processing unit and to be manipulated to move a cursor/pointer themselves.